Non-wood forest products

Enhancing the contribution of NTFP to food security in Central African countries

The Congo Basin is among the world’s major reservoirs of biological diversity and is the home of some 100 millions habitants of which the livelihoods of many depends on the forest. Large areas in Central Africa have been attributed to commercial timber exploitation or set aside as protected areas while Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) are of major importance for subsistence or income generation of forest dependent people with small-scale forest based enterprises playing a key role in commercialization.

Despite their importance and significant potential in the fight against poverty, NTFP are hardly visible in the national economy statistics. In addition, the NTFP sector is mostly informal with an inappropriate legal, institutional and organizational framework.

Facts about the project

The project contributes to food security and sustainable forest management in Central Africa in general and specifically in the Republic Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Rwanda, Burundi and Sao Tomé & Principe through the valorisation of NWFP by local people

Project code:

GCP/RAF/479/AFB

Donor:

African Development Bank through the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF), Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO)

Executing Agency:

Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO)

Implementing Agencies:

Commission of the Forests of Central Africa (COMIFAC),Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Government of Chad, Government of Rwanda, Government of Burundi, Government of Sao Tomé & Principe

Funding:

EUR 3,589,587

Duration:

3 February 2014 - 3 February 2017 (3 years)

Context

The Congo Basin is among the world’s major reservoirs of biological diversity and is the home of some 100 millions habitants of which the livelihoods of many depends on the forest. Large areas in Central Africa have been attributed to commercial timber exploitation or set aside as protected areas while Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) are of major importance for subsistence or income generation of forest dependent people with small-scale forest based enterprises playing a key role in commercialization.

Despite their importance and significant potential in the fight against poverty, NTFP are hardly visible in the national economy statistics. In addition, the NTFP sector is mostly informal with an inappropriate legal, institutional and organizational framework.